On November 20, the Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe, in collaboration with the Southern African Research and Documentation Centre (SARDC), hosted a seminar themed “China-Zimbabwe Dialogue: Aligning China’s 15th Five-Year Plan with Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030”. 

Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Zhou Ding delivered a keynote speech at the event, which was attended by the Hon. Kudakwashe Mupamhanga, Deputy Minister of Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training, along with senior officials from ZANU-PF and the Zimbabwean government, Members of Parliament, as well as representatives from think tanks, universities and Chinese enterprises operating in Zimbabwe. 

In his address, Ambassador Zhou reviewed the accomplishments of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and underscored the key elements of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan. He noted that the Recommendations for formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan, adopted at the Plenary Session, serves as a crucial mobilizing document and strategic blueprint for propelling Chinese modernization forward. Highlighting China’s institutional advantages in long-term strategic planning, consistent implementation, and delivering tangible results, the Ambassador stressed that the Session reaffirmed China’s steadfast commitment to high-standard opening-up and sharing development opportunities with international partners. 

Given the recent elevation of China-Zimbabwe relations to an all-weather community with a shared future, Ambassador Zhou articulated China’s readiness to align its 15th Five-Year Plan with Zimbabwe’s National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2) and Vision 2030. He emphasized China’s resolve to deepen practical cooperation in trade, infrastructure, energy and other areas, and to support Zimbabwe in its pursuit of upper-middle-income status. 

Seminar participants demonstrated keen interest in delving into the outcomes of the Plenary Session, noting that China’s governance model and development approach provide valuable insights and reference points for nations of the Global South. They expressed optimism that collaborative endeavours to forge a China-Zimbabwe all-weather community with a shared future will usher in a new phase of bilateral cooperation, leading to more tangible benefits for both peoples.